Monroe to get his starting job back

Posted by NBC Sports on November 5, 2009, 12:04 PM EDT

It’s not always easy to track the progress of highly drafted offensive tackles compared to rookies that get stats.

But coaches speak loudest with playing time, and it wasn’t a good sign for Jaguars tackle pick Eugene Monroe that coach Jack Del Rio benched the eighth overall pick in the 2009 draft last week for Tra Thomas. Monroe’s play — and playing time – has been inconsistent this year by most accounts.

Monroe has sometimes rotated on and off the field, and also didn’t start in Week Five. (He missed Week Four with an illness.)

Michael C. Wright of the Florida Times-Union reports that Monroe will get his starting gig back this week. The Jaguars need better play from its young players if they are going to improve. Safety Reggie Nelson is another former first-round pick that has struggled, perhaps much more than Monroe.

Last year’s high picks on defense — Derrick Harvey and Quentin Groves — also haven’t produced a lot. And they are the only two players left from Jacksonville’s draft class in 2008.

The quarterback and head coach will face a lot of heat for Jacksonville’s mediocrity the last two seasons, but the franchise’s struggles on draft day are mostly to blame.

who cares about anything jacksonville related….del rio is a hack…and david gerard is a turd…maurice jones drew is the only thing worth talking about in jacksonville……this team should have to forfeit their remaining schedule after last week……keep in mind they also got blanked by a horrible seahawks team….jack del rio is a bum….i think he is gay too

1JagFan says:Nov 5, 2009 1:38 PM

“The quarterback and head coach will face a lot of heat for Jacksonville’s mediocrity the last two seasons, but the franchise’s struggles on draft day are mostly to blame.”
Struggles is putting it lightly. The 1st round picks from the last 6 years not counting this year (Derrick Harvey, Reggie Nelson , Marcedes Lewis, “Moonshine” Jones, Reggie Williams, and Byron Leftwich) are all crappy. Two of those are not even in the league anymore and Leftwich is 3rd on the depth chart of a team that hasn’t won a game.
Out of our 8 draft picks from 2005 only 1 of them is still on the team. Ridiculous.
Hopefully GM Gene can fix all of that. Monroe should be a cornerstone for our offensive line for years to come, Britton as well. Knighton is a beast on the DL, Cox will be a great corner and it goes without saying that are receivers are 100 times better than what has been on the field the past few years.

SlipperyPete says:Nov 5, 2009 1:57 PM

Wait a minute. Eugene Monroe wasn’t starting? But last April, Todd McShay, Mel Kiper, Jr., and every other draft expert had the same report on him (and every other offensive tackle who’s ever been considered a first-rounder):
“This is a guy who can step in and start from day one and lock down that tackle position for the next 10 years.”

Seeryer says:Nov 5, 2009 2:03 PM

Teflon Del Rio once again gets a pass from the media. 8-15 record since Mike Smith left for ATL. AVG passer rating of Jags’ opponents in those 23 games? 99. That includes a 46 rating from Culpepper when he made his first start in like two years last season and a 58 from Frerotte who no longer is in the league. 3 laid eggs in 7 games. Coughlin gone after 8 years despite two AFC title games and 4 playoff appearances. This is Teflon’s 7th season. How could he deserve an 8th?

1JagFan says:Nov 5, 2009 2:11 PM

@lukestrass
You must obviously be someone smart and important who we should all listen to for our football knowledge. Calling Garrard, (or gerard as you call him) a turd just exemplifies how much you truly don’t know. Is he a franchise QB, probably not, but a turd, no way.

@jagfan
whoooaaaa, sorry for my misspelling of david gerrard…give me a break man, david gerrard will be a backup on the chargers next year….gerrard stinks….you can put all the stats up you want, but the fact is that david gerrard doesn’t have what it takes to make this team win…bottom line…and jack del rio is a roasted turd in a stupid leather jacket….this franchise is scrapin the bottom

Zox says:Nov 5, 2009 2:36 PM

@1Jagfan
Garrard deserves to have his name misspelled. Maybe if he could string 2 good games back to back people might know how to spell his name correctly.

Jeff Smith says:Nov 6, 2009 12:36 PM

1Jagfan, you’re probably wasting your time arguing with lukestrass, who is probably 13 years old and pretending to be doing his homework now instead of dazzling people with his spelling prowess on the internet.
Out of the 11 draft picks the Jags had going into the 2008 draft, only 2 players remain on the team. That is an utter disaster that can be blamed on the previous GM, Harris.
Whether Del Rio can get this team back to the playoffs next year remains to be seen, but I think it is fair to say that the current team needs major player upgrades, especially on defense. Give the new GM, Smith, another year or two and I think this team will be in the playoff mix.